Correction: Conversion Therapy story

March 5, 2018

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — In a story March 3 about the Washington Legislature passing a bill related to a conversion therapy ban, The Associated Press inadvertently dropped the word ‘not’ in a section related to non-licensed counselors who are part of religious groups, indicating that the law would apply to those groups. It does not.

A corrected version of the story is below:

The Washington Legislature has passed a bill to ban licensed therapists from trying to change a minor’s sexual orientation.

The Senate agreed on changes made in the House to Senate Bill 5722 and passed it on a 33-16 vote Saturday. It now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee for his signature.

The bill would deem it “unprofessional conduct” for a licensed health care provider to perform conversion therapy on a patient under the age of 18.

Under the measure, if the provider violates the law, they would face sanctions ranging from fines to license revocation or suspension. Changes made in the House include the measure not applying to non-licensed counselors operating as part of a religious organization, religious denomination or church.